The 2-day Advantage AP conference and exhibition, on March 1st and 2nd, will focus on promoting Andhra Pradesh as an IT & ITES destination.
The 2-day Advantage AP conference and exhibition began at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) on Tuesday.
Over 1,500 delegates are expected to take part in the event, where over 200 companies will showcase innovative products/solutions, designed and developed in Andhra Pradesh.
The summit is being organized by the IT & C Department of the state government, the IT and ITES Industry Association of Andhra Pradesh (ITsAP) and the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI).
The summit comes at a time when the state has registered an export turnover of Rs. 33,482 crores (US $7 billion), contributing a significant 15% to the nation's overall IT exports in the financial year 2009-2010. Hyderabad has also topped NASSCOM's list of 'Super Nine' IT and ITES destinations in the country.
This conference will provide a forum for IT and ITES companies, academic institutions, governments, and end-customers (users) of various industries to understand the state's pioneering role in leveraging information technology & communications for the benefit of the common man.
The summit will also provide information about the preferential policies offered by the state government, the infrastructure availability, the talent availability, and the skill- enhancement initiatives by the government.
Advantage AP will also throw light on the potential offered by tier II cities in the state, the solutions devised and developed by IT and ITES companies in the country, and the IT and ITES opportunities in the manufacturing, retail, government, banking and financial services industry sectors.
At the summit, the state government plans to communicate that Andhra Pradesh has the brains that produce more than 30% of the engineering output of the country, and that it possesses world-class infrastructure.
At the conference, participants can learn why AP has quickly become the most preferred destination for the IT and ITES industry, and also the associated technological advancement made in recent times.
The 'Product Showcase And Awards' track of the conference will display products that have been innovated and developed in Andhra Pradesh.
The products will be displayed under 6 different categories - MNC, Established Indian, Startup in Consumer Solutions, Startup in Enterprise Solutions, Non-Indian Startups, and Social Impact Sector. During the 2 days, over 200 companies will showcase their products and solutions.
A jury comprising leaders from the industry, academia and VC communities will screen nominations and select products to be presented at the showcase.
The showcase track will have seminars deliberating on various aspects of the startup eco-system. Eminent leaders and entrepreneurs from the IT & C industry will share their views and experiences with the delegates/participants.
The economic contribution of the IT and ITES sectors to the state is enormous as these sectors employ more than 2.5 lakhs people through direct employment, and another 9 lakhs through indirect employment. The state government has always extended full support to the growth of the IT and ITES sectors.
The state has been a pioneer in promulgating IT for the benefit of the common man in flagship programs including Aarogyasri, NREGA, APOnline and eSeva.
IT and C Principal Secretary Ratna Prabha mentioned that Andhra Pradesh is one of the few states to declare IT and ITES as essential services, and also the first to announce preferential policies for small-medium IT and ITES companies.